Adelaide10.1 Groundwater inflow from outside region

Supporting Information

The volume reported (22 ML) represents regional groundwater inflow to the Adelaide region in the 2010–11 year at the northern boundary, through the major sedimentary aquifers in the Adelaide Plains (T1 and T2 aquifers). This represents the only groundwater inflow from outside the region, except that occurring at the coast (reported at line item 10.2).

Regional groundwater flow also occurs between the fractured rock aquifers and the sedimentary aquifers of the Adelaide Plains and McLaren Vale Prescribed Wells Area (PWA). However, this flow is within the Adelaide reporting region and therefore is not included in this item. The Adelaide region boundary along the Mount Lofty Ranges is considered a groundwater divide with no groundwater flow across this divide. In general, groundwater flows from the fractured rock aquifers of the Mount Lofty Ranges west towards the Adelaide Plains and St Vincent Basin (Ellis and Fox 2004).

Regional groundwater inflow broken down by aquifer to the Adelaide region in the 2010–11 year

Groundwater management area

Aquifer

Groundwater inflow (ML)

Adelaide Plains

T1

9

T2

13

Total

22

Quantification Approach

Data Source

Provided by

Bureau of Meteorology.

Method

Regional groundwater flow into the Adelaide region was calculated using a simple GIS approach based on Darcy's Law (Bureau of Meteorology 2010). Groundwater levels measured at monitoring bores were interpolated to a groundwater-level grid for each season during the 2010–11 year using the ArcGIS Topo-to-Raster tool. Seasonal groundwater-flow grids were then derived from these groundwater-level grids along with aquifer thickness and hydraulic conductivity data using a modification of the ArcGIS Darcy Velocity tool. Groundwater inflow was subsequently calculated across selected regional groundwater boundaries in the Adelaide Plains using a simple GIS analysis. Seasonal inflow volumes were summed to determine the total volume for the 2010–11 year.

The following two maps are presented to aid interpretation of the methodology used to quantify this item. The first map illustrates the location and concentration of bores throughout the McLaren Vale PWA and Adelaide Plains used in the quantification approach.

Map showing the location and concentration of bores used in the quantification approach

The second map identifies the lateral groundwater flow boundaries used in the quantification approach. The blue line at the north of the Adelaide region illustrates the area across which groundwater inflow from outside the region was calculated.

Map of the lateral groundwater flow boundaries in the Adelaide region

Assumptions, Limitations, Caveats and Approximations

Flow across the remaining unit boundaries was assumed to be small on an annual basis; either due to limited flow (e.g. in fractured rock) or because limitations of the method prevented its application.

Regional groundwater inflow was estimated for the confined and semiconfined aquifers only (T1, T2). These productive aquifers are considered to be the most hydraulically conductive units and flow in other units is assumed to be insignificant.

Uncertainty Information

The uncertainty estimate was not quantified.

Comparative year

This line item corresponds in part to line item 15.1.1 Regional groundwater inflow reported in the 2010 Account. In the 2011 Account, the following changes were made that caused the 2009–10 year value to be restated:

The presentation of the line items has changed since the 2010 Account: Groundwater flow was partitioned into groundwater inflow at the coast (reported at line item 10.2 Groundwater inflow from outside region at coast) and regional inflow for the rest of the Adelaide region.

The methodology used to quantify the line item was improved and resulted in a material change in volume: New aquifer properties have been used in the quantification approach.

The changes and their respective values are detailed in the following table. The restated comparative year volume is 13 ML.

Restatement of comparative year information for line item 10.1 Groundwater inflow from outside region at coast